Feeding Frenzy

Sunday afternoon at Prospect Park. The ponds are mostly covered in ice so it seems that all the birds in the park--at least the waterfowl and the seagulls--gathered in the one spot that was partially thawed. It's a good idea to stay out of the swans' way, otherwise something like this might happen. Some of the swans looked like they were in a barnyard brawl. Talk about grimy. I wonder what happened to them.

I never noticed this before, but mallard ducks have really cute curly feathers on their undersides, noticeable when they dive underwater for a bite to eat. I'm no bird expert, so I'm still trying to figure out the names of all my new feathered friends--especially the small black ducks with white beaks and the pale reddish and creamy white ducks that are slightly larger than a mallard.

UPDATE: When it comes to birds, I'm a bit of a bird brain. Thanks Matthew aka Brooklyn Bachelor for answering my bird-related questions. Turns out the "barnyard brawl" swans are still in their awkward ugly duckling phase. And the black "ducks" are actually American coots. If you want to explore wildlife in the city Matthew's Backyard and Beyond is a fantastic place to visit.